Craziness!

I'm sorry I've been so absent this week ... work is INSANE. We have a new customer audit today and tomorrow, so this whole week has been spent on prepping for the audit, then today and tomorrow I'll be tied up with the audit, and Friday I'll be tied up with the wrap up. I guess I'll catch up on this week's usual work next week ...

I go home from work and make dinner and pass out. Hopefully next week will be semi-normal.

Fur Baby Friday

Today I am linking up with Mrs. Monologues to share some fur baby lovin'.

This is my handsome little boy, Einstein. I am just SO in love with this little man.

Autumn and Mittens, two of my baby girls (with hubby in the background, lol)

Callie, Mittens' twin, who is the BIGGEST Daddy's Girl in the world.

And I'm also going to share some fur baby lovin' for my brothers and sisters - my parents' cats:

Smokey and Bandit (remember the little kitten we rescued? He got to be SO big and handsome!)

Jasmine, who is Einstein's twin sister

and last, but not least, Samantha, my parents' 20 year old cat

Science of Beauty #4

Of course to look good, we have to be able to see! How else can you apply makeup correctly or do your hair? Not to mention the fashion statement that glasses make. However, how many of you understand what is happening in your eye that causes you to be nearsighted or farsighted? Do you know how your glasses or contacts work? Do you know what the numbers on your prescription mean?

In a healthy eye, the light from an image comes through the eye and goes to the lens. The lens works just like a lens for glasses or contact lenses and refracts (bends) the image so that it can be focused on the retina and your optic nerve can read the data and your brain can recognize the image.

I have nearsightedness, also known as myopia (which, frankly, is easier to say. lets all say myopia instead of nearsightedness). So what is happening in my eye is that my lens is focusing the image in front of my retina.

via Wikipedia

If you have myopia, your diopter (the number in your prescription) is negative. The higher the number, the stronger your prescription. The diopter is a characteristic of the lens itself, related to the focal length of the lens. Lenses for myopia are concave. Concave lenses cause the light to diverge, therefore extending the focal length so that the image is focused on the retina.

via Wikipedia

Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is the opposite condition. The lens in your eye focuses the image behind your retina. Lenses for hyperopia are convex, which shortens the focal length of your eye. Diopter values are positive.

via Wikipedia

 If you have astigmatism (like I do), your eye is not shaped like the eyes above. Your cornea has a slight "football" shape to it, which causes the images to refract differently than a normal eye and also causes standard contacts to not fit properly. Your eye literally focuses at 2 points instead of 1. This is corrected with lenses that have special "cylindrical" values in the prescription (If you have cylindrical and spherical values in your prescription, you have astigmatism. If you only have spherical values, you do not have astigmatism.).

via lasik.md

The PD length that is written in your prescription is the pupilary distance - or the distance between both of your pupils. This is necessary for glasses so that they are made correctly. For example, I had an old pair of glasses that gave me terrible headaches every time I wore them. My contacts were fine, but my glasses were torture. By the time I finally took them back to the doctor, it was too late for them to fix them (they were out of warranty), but the PD length was wrong. Basically my glasses were trying to focus my pupils outward instead of straight ahead, and it was giving me headaches.

It is VERY important that you take care of your eyes (after all, you only get 2) and see a qualified eye care professional. You should NOT get headaches from your glasses or contacts. If you do, see your doctor because it can be one of many problems - even something as simple as an incorrect prescription or incorrect PD length.

Happy Fasnacht Day!

Happy Fasnacht Day/Shrove Tuesday/Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras!

Today in Central Pennsylvania is Fasnacht Day. A fasnacht is basically a donut. It is traditionally made with potato flour and fried in lard. They are amazeballs delicious! You can eat them plain (which is how I like them), or you can have them glazed or coated in powdered sugar. My dad likes to cut them in half, spread butter on them, and microwave them to melt the butter (my dad may or may not be distantly related to Paula Deen with his love for butter, lol). My BFF Juli likes to put syrup on hers.

Fasnachts are a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch food meant to use up all of the lard, fats, butter, and sugar which are traditionally fasted from during Lent. I am about 75% Pennsylvania Dutch (which is not really Dutch, but very old German - like 1600's German).

Since tomorrow starts Lent, the Physicist household will be eating a little differently (as we do every year). Mr. Physicist (who was raised Catholic) will not eat meat on Fridays. I (who was raised Lutheran) go along with it, so we don't have meat on Fridays. We haven't talked about what we're giving up for Lent yet (we'll probably do that over dinner tonight), so I'm not sure what I'm giving up.

Last year, Mr. Physicist gave up sugar. He lasted 2 days. Kind of sad, really. I gave up meat and made it all 40 days plus some.

My heart just hurts ...

Blogging has given me some amazing things, but also some not so great things. Like right now. My heart just hurts for some of my blog friends. It is absolute torture knowing that I'm hundreds of miles away from my blog friends and that I can't be there for them when they need friends.

Like right now. I want to fly down to Louisiana and wrap Megan in a big hug. She needs love from friends and family more than ever right now, and I wish that I could be there to just hug her and let her cry it out.

I also want to fly down to Atlanta. Chelsea is now alone while her boyfriend pursues his dream of being a baseball player (he's at Spring Training for the Philadelphia Phillies right now!). She'll visit him a few times, but she'll miss him more than anything. and I wish I could be there to hug her and cheer her up. But I'll settle for meeting her when she comes up here to visit him! :)

While I'm in Atlanta, I'd also want to visit my Bloggy BFF Ashley. She has been working ridiculous hours at work because she's had so much to do, so I just want to take her out and have a good time - get her to relax and maybe even meet her future Mr. Run With Me. ;) (OK, so my heart doesn't hurt for this Ashley, but I can't go to the ATL without seeing her!!)

Another blog friend going through a hard time is another Ashley. I want to fly to California and visit this sweet little lady and hug her too.

So ... while having blog friends is amazing ... it breaks my heart that I am so far away from them when I want to comfort them most. Can we please just get a Bloggy Airline so we can visit each other for free any time we want??

Realizations ...

Looking back at Monday's post, there are some things that really define who I am.

• My family and friends
• Cooking
• Reading
• Science

Looking back at my blog posts, I've posted about the first one and the last one, but not much about the other two. So I've made a few decisions regarding my blog.

• First of all, I removed all of the ads. I don't blog to make money, get followers, or get free stuff (although I'll take any of those items, if you're offering). I blog for me and I need to keep it that way.
• Secondly, I'm going to keep the "Science of Beauty" posts, and hopefully I'll get back into them next week.
• Third, I'm going to try to post a new recipe every week. I love to cook, so there is NO reason why I shouldn't be able to post about food. Honestly, I can't believe it has taken me so long to realize this.
• Fourth, I love giveaways and blog swaps. I love to pick out items for people and send them off to them and have them be surprised with what they get. So I hope to do a few more giveaways (once I find good things ... I'm not going to send crap), and maybe even host a blog swap.

Valentine's Day

7 years ago, the love of my life asked me to spend the rest of my life with him ... and the rest is history! I have not regretted one minute of the last 7 years ... and I hope we'll have 700 more!

So below is a picture of my ring and my wedding band. We have matching wedding bands (exactly the same except mine is thinner because I wear 2 rings). That was my one requirement in a wedding band. My parents have matching wedding bands, and that's what I wanted too.

He picked this out all by himself

So Happy Valentine's Day to all of my friends! Whether you have someone to share it with or not, the most important thing today is to love yourself - so go get pampered! :)

Getting my blog out there ...

If you read my last post, you know that I'm a bit confused about my life right now. I'm not sure what I want out of my career and I'm not sure what I want out of this here blog. I enjoy blogging, but I want to be blogging about something that I feel is value-added. I hate when I feel like I write about "fluff" subjects. Yes, sometimes I'm OK with the "fluff" (and keep in mind this is just my opinions about what I write - I happen to love reading other peoples' fluff), but generally speaking, I want to make an impact.

So today I've decided to link up with Neely to get my blog out there, and maybe in the process, I'll figure out what it is that I really want from this little old blog. So if there is something that you would like me to blog about more, please let me know. I beg you.

Why do I blog? Easy. It is a release for me. I can talk about what I really think and what I really feel without the fear of rejection or judgement (well, judgement that I hear - y'all may be judging me for all I know). I've met some amazing friends through blogging, and I really do love you all. I've been staying off of twitter recently (because my hubby gave me a rash of crap about being on my phone all the time), but I'm @prettyphysicist on twitter, or you can always text or email me!

Now ... on to the juicy stuff.

Random crap about me.

I have my BS in Physics with a minor in Math and I *almost* have my MS in Quality Assurance. My husband has his BSEd in Physics and Earth and Space Science and has his MSEd in Instructional Technology.

I am married to the most amazing man I have ever met in my entire life. I am convinced that he was created just for me. We will be married for 5 wonderful years next month. Not a day (hour or minute) goes by that I am not completely in love with my soul mate.

We have 4 cute, cuddly little kitties. I love my cats. They are my children. Until Mr. Physicist and I have babies of our own, they are my only kids. I can't imagine my life without them. They have personalities of their own, and I am convinced that they understand what I say to them - as evidenced by the insane looks they give me sometimes.

I love to read - everything from reports and studies related to my work to science text books (yes, I'm THAT nerdy) to trashy romance to teen lit. Reading is my stress relief.

I love to cook. Cooking is my way of showing my friends and family how much I love them. My family has Sunday dinners every Sunday (unless there is bad weather or something), and Sundays alternate between my house and my parents' house. Yesterday I made a beef roast, a roast chicken, vegetables, and potato filling and my mom brought desert.

I love tea. To me, nothing is better than curling up on the couch with my hubby and kitties, reading a good book, and drinking a nice cup of tea.

I started a weekly post series called "The Science of Beauty" where I research the science between beauty claims or beauty products. I'm kind of blocked right now, so if you have suggestions or questions, PLEASE let me know!

I am trying desperately to get back into shape. After my junior year of college, I gained a lot of weight. I'm convinced most of it was birth control related (even though my doctor says that it isn't possible), but I also became less active as my back problems (4 stress fractures that will never heal from an old gymnastics injury) got worse. So here I am, 6 years later, heavier than I want to be, not feeling sexy like I should, and trying to get back into shape. I'm being met with all sorts of obstacles - back pain, weather, location, time, etc. but I'm working at it slowly but surely.

I am allergic to bananas.

I dye my hair darker because I don't like how I look as a natural blonde.

I don't wear makeup. Partly because I wake up at 5 AM every day for work, so I do as little as I can in the morning (I also don't do my hair - I'm blessed with naturally stick straight hair). Partly because I'm just no good at it. So if you've got some good makeup tutorials, send them my way! :)

I am a bargain shopper. I was raised to be careful with my money and to not pay full price for anything if I can get it on sale. So I check prices, scour bargain racks, etc. Saving money brings a smile to my face. My hubby is also VERY good at saving money, which makes us a perfect team. Prime example? My car. 2004 Oldsmobile Alero. We bought it in 2005 with only 4,500 miles on it for $6000. KBB value was $10,000. I still drive this car every day and (knock on wood) I have had NO problems with her, and she now has 105,000 miles.

So I hope y'all loved getting to know me ... I know I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

Thinking ...

I've safely returned from my business trip to the UK. It was an amazing time filled with LOTS of work and LITTLE sightseeing, but the information that I've learned and the relationships that I've made will help endlessly with my work.

However, during my trip, I got to thinking about what I want to do with my life. Everything about my life. I'm still thinking. So while I think about it, I don't know how much I'll be blogging ... but I promise I'll still try to read your blogs! and if I decide to stick with blogging, I hope you'll stick around through this small interlude.

guest post - An Unstyled Life

Since I'm in the UK and not here, J from An Unstyled Life is here to tell you some of her fave spring items. J is a sweetheart and has an amazing blog - go check her out (after you read her guest post, of course!). Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous that Texas gets spring WAY before we do up here in PA ...

Hi, y'all! I'm J and I blog over at An Unstyled Life. I live in Texas with my husband of nearly 7 years, and our spunky two year old daughter, M. In Texas this time of year, the weather is absolutely crazy. Our spring starts a bit earlier than everyone else's so it starts getting warmer a lot sooner. So, since spring is right around the corner, I figured I'd tell y'all about my go-to beauty items for spring.

First and foremost is Clinique's Sheer Tinted Moisturizer.

I love this stuff. It's got an SPF of 15, it's light and airy, yet gives me enough coverage that I can skip the foundation. It also seems to last much longer than a bottle of foundation and the price isn't so bad!

Next is Maybelline "The Falsies" Volum' Express Mascara in very black.

There are actually two kinds of this, the regular and the flared. Always go with the flared. And use an eyelash curler. I curl mine with a heated curler before I put the mascara on, let it dry a bit, and then give my lashes just a little bump with the curler again. This mascara doesn't flake and it's easy to remove. Plus, the $6 price tag ain't so bad!!

Last, but not least, is Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in rose.

I love, love, love Burt's Bees products. You'll never catch me without Burt's Bees chapstick on my lips, and if I'm out somewhere, I'm definitely rocking the tinted balm. It gives you just enough color. Kind of that just kissed look, ya know? Plus it keeps your lips extremely moisturized. I love it so much I own every shade. Get some, it'll change your life.

And that's it. I spend a lot of time outdoors, so I don't really need any blush in the spring or summer, and I like that fresh, natural look, so I don't wear any other eye makeup. Pair this with a messy ponytail, a v-neck tee, and a pair of boyfriend capris, and you've got the perfect Texas spring look.

Thanks so much for having me, and it you're ever down in Texas, give me a holler!

guest post - Hogespodges

While I'm out of the country on a business trip, I've scheduled some posts ... one of which is one of the sweetest bloggers I've ever met! Joey is absolutely adorable and is so much like me it is scary. :) Oh, and best part? My husband LOOOVES oreos, so you KNOW I'll be trying this.

Hi friends! I'm Joey.

Oh, and that's Mr. Husband.

You can usually find me over at hodgespodges. Jess is kind enough to let me take over her sweet little blog while she's out of the country. Hope you're having a blast, Jess!!

I thought I'd share with you a pretty yummy and easy dessert recipe.

Why?

Well, because I am in love with dessert. And eat it any chance I get. And yes, that even includes eating dessert just after breakfast. Or, you know, for breakfast. It's true, I love sweets.

Oreo Truffles

What you'll need:

1. A package of oreos
2. Almond bark or candiquik
3. 8 oz bar of Cream Cheese

First you want to smash up all the oreos. This part is way fun but can be a little messy. Be sure not to puncture the back otherwise chocolate dust goes everywhere. I do not know this from experience. Okay, maybe I do.

yeah, I used a hammer. so what?

Pour all the oreo dust into a bowl and mix in the cream cheese. I dug right in and just got my hands dirty. A spoon was a little tough to use.

Roll the goo into little balls an place them onto a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge for about an hour.

Once the truffles have had a chance to firm up, melt the candiquik and roll the truffles around. Be sure to cover the entire treat then place back onto the cookie sheet. For easy clean up, you might want to line the sheet with aluminum foil. The chocolate will harden into a shell even if you leave them out, but I prefer to keep these cold, so I placed them back in the fridge.

Lastly, Enjoy!

Thanks again for having me, Jess!

xoxo

guest post - Glitter and Dirt

Guest posting for me today is one of my closest blog friends - Amber from Glitter and Dirt. To be honest, I can't even remember how we started talking, but I love this girl, and I'm sure you guys will too! So after you're done reading her post, go check out her blog!

Hey hew new friends!  I'm  Amber!

I blog over at Glitter and Dirt! I blog about just everything-my kid saying wonky things to me, bad dates, good dates and just life in general stuff. I even blog about why my picture is of me holding undies that say trouble! Haha I'm a marketing genius in training and I'm excited to be here!

Since our favorite Pretty Physicist is off gallivanting in
the UK for work, I figured why not do a fun post about the UK?

 

So Jess, please don’t worry, I have your trip all planned out for you. 

First stop?

Westminster.

I need you to stop by the House of Parliament, maybe pass a
law or two.  Then stop by Windsor Palace
and mess with those awesome security guards. I’ve always wondered how they don’t
laugh or snicker or act bothered by what’s happening to them. Also, do your
cheesiest “I’m an American” pose in front of said Palace. Haha

Before you leave Westminster, please check your watch and
sync it up with what’s considered the most accurate clock in the world, Big
Ben. It’s attached to the Palace so it’s not too far away!

Next, you MUST go to Bath. Jane Austen always sent her characters
to Bath and London for va-cay so it must be a pretty happenin’ place. 

Would you stop by Manchester as well? I mean, Manchester
needs no explanation-hot soccer players. 

 Would the hubs mind terribly if you
kidnapped one and brought him to me? Thanks.

Lastly, you need to visit Wales. I need you to find Prince
Harry and send him my way. You can leave the kidnapped soccer player in his
place, just don’t forget to bring home the hot prince.

And while you visit these places, don't forget to people watch and look at the cars. They aren't as different as Japan's is from ours, but they're still different!

Have fun girl! Can't wait to hear about the food and fun!